


Boyfriends

by KittyleFay



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Bottom Billy Hargrove, Boys In Love, Established Relationship, HIV/AIDS, M/M, Oral Sex, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-18 21:48:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15495378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyleFay/pseuds/KittyleFay
Summary: Two years after they went from enemies to friends to lovers, Steve and Billy have been living happily together in New York...until they are paid an unexpected visit from Billy's ex, David.A short sequel to Frienemies With Benefits.





	Boyfriends

**Author's Note:**

> As stated in the summary, this is just a short sequel to my previous story, Frienemies With Benefits, so if you haven't read that one I recommend you do so now and give me kudos and nice reviews, otherwise this story won't make much sense in some places. I also wanted to write it because it had been in my head for some time now and I wanted to address the AIDS crisis that was happening in the eighties, since not many Harringrove fics do.

They were having an evening in when they heard the knocking on the door. Steve had just ordered another Chinese take-out dinner while Billy came home from work with a round of beers at the ready. As was their usual Friday night, they ate dinner, watched whatever movie they’d just rented from the nearby Blockbuster on Broadway, and talked about everything and nothing before ending the night with amazing sex. 

On this particular Friday night, however, they didn’t make it to that last part. It wasn’t because the sex wasn’t amazing, because it really was. It wasn’t because of an argument they’d had either, because that would have ended in some rough and angry sex anyway. It was because of the knocking on the door. At first, they chose to ignore it, thinking it another church-goer trying to “save” them or some random charity trying to waste their time and money. Still, the knocking wouldn’t stop.

Billy rolled his eyes and whined: “Seriously? This was just getting good!”

Steve chuckled, placed his dinner down, and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek. “I’ll get it,” he said. “It’s my turn, anyway. It’s probably just one of the neighbours telling us to turn it down.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Steve bit his lip when he remembered another Friday night, where a grumpy old couple from downstairs complained about their dirty movie being too loud. Of course, they hadn’t been watching a dirty movie, though they may well have made one. 

When he opened the door, standing before him was not a church-goer, a random charity, or even a grumpy old couple. Instead, there was a young man of perhaps his own age. He was a head taller and had a similar head of soft brown hair to Steve’s, but his eyes were a striking green, and dangling from his left ear was an earring not too dissimilar to Billy’s. He had his hands in the pockets of his ripped jeans and covering an equally ripped AC/DC t-shirt was a leather jacket that would put any rock star to shame.

“Hi,” Steve said meekly but politely. “Can I help you?”

“Is Billy here?” The stranger’s voice had a deep husk, but was surprisingly gentle.

“Uh, yeah, he’s right here.”

Steve heard shuffling. When he turned around, he saw Billy standing stiffly with wide eyes. He stood like that for some time, looking like a deer in headlights, until he finally choked out a name: “David.”

The stranger named David smiled. It was a sad smile, but it was enough to show  Steve that he was handsome. _So_ , he thought. _This is the ex he talked about._  

“Hey, Billy,” David said softly. “Long time no see. You look great.”

“How did you find me?”

“You know me. I have my ways.”

Steve wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what that meant.

“What are you even doing here?” Billy asked. “I thought you were staying in California.”

David’s handsome smile fell and he simply shrugged. “I had to see you.”

“Now’s not really a good time.”

“Oh, I beg to differ.”

Billy’s jaw tightened. Steve knew him well enough to know what that meant. He stood his ground, but felt David’s eyes on him. “I’m guessing you’re the new guy?”

Steve nodded. Before he could so much as open his mouth, Billy answered for him. “David, this is my boyfriend Steve.” 

“He doesn’t seem your type.”

“He’s been better for me than you ever were.”

David nodded, much to Steve’s surprise, as if to admit that it was true. “Mind if we talk alone?”

Billy sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. He stood there for quite some time before looking at his boyfriend. “Steve, do you mind?”

“No,” he lied. “I’ll just be outside.”

Steve did as he said and by the door for what felt like hours. Every now and then he would hear a muffled conversation that boiled into an argument and then simmered into a reconciliation. He hated to imagine what was going on in there. What were they talking about? What were they doing? Why was David here? Why was Billy shouting? Was that crying he heard? Soon, he heard nothing at all and he waited some more. 

Finally, the door opened. Steve jumped to his feet to find David before him, though he looked rather different. His eyes were brighter, but his previous swagger seemed to have all but vanished, as if it were never there to begin with. 

David looked Steve up and down and smiled weakly. “It’s Steve, right?”

“Yeah.” 

“You seem like a nice guy, Steve. Billy told me all about you; how you got him out of his dad’s place, took care of him and all. I wanted to thank you for that.”

Steve’s brow furrowed. “Thank me? What for?”

“For looking after him when I couldn’t. He probably told you that I left him after…well, what happened. The truth is that I was too much of a pussy to stand up for him. I know that I should have, but then his dad and my mom weren't too different, so when she asked me if I’d been seeing another guy I freaked out. I told her I wasn’t and I even started seeing a girl to prove it. I can’t say I’m very proud of that, to be honest. I really did love Billy. I was just too scared to.

“Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for being braver than I was. Billy’s lucky to have you. I hope you’ll be happy together.”

Steve smiled and nodded. “Thanks, David.”

David smiled back and patted him on the shoulder before passing by. “Oh,” he stopped and turned. “And one more thing: this girl he keeps mentioning, Jane. Next time you see her, give her a hug for me, okay?”

Steve’s smile widened. “I will. Maybe you could meet her sometime. She’s a good kid.”

David’s smile weakened, but he nodded. “Maybe. Take care, Steve.”

“You too.”

And with that David was gone and Steve made his way back up to the apartment with an unusual smile on his face. With all the times he’d heard Billy talk about David, he almost pictured some free-loading punk with no concern for anyone but himself. Instead, he saw a man who was just as vulnerable as a lost little boy. He couldn’t help but laugh a little when he remembered thinking the same of Billy. 

 _He’s not such a bad guy,_ he thought. _Maybe we could have him over to hang out sometime._

When he came to his apartment and opened the door, his smile fell flat. Billy was on the ground with his head in his hands. When he looked up, Steve found that his eyes were bright and his face red raw with tears. Immediately, he fell to the ground before his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around him.

“Hey,” he cooed. “Baby, what’s wrong? Did something happen? What is it?”

Billy never answered. He just lay in Steve’s arms and cried and cried and cried.

* * *

Billy cried often in the next few days, sometimes in his sleep. When he wasn’t crying he kept his distance. He would lie in bed or on the sofa for hours doing nothing. He would skip meals almost every other day. He would stay completely silent but for the occasional “Hi,” or “Bye,” or “I love you.” Sometimes he would break things. Other times he would forget things. 

Steve tried to be there for him. At night, he would try to hold him whenever he cried, only to be pushed away. During the day, he would urge him to eat a meal, only to watch one after the other go to waste. Sometimes he would break things, though not usually on purpose. Within the course of two days, he had broken two plates and a mug, the latter of which he broke by throwing against the wall during an argument. 

Boy, did they argue! Usually, it was about stupid things like whose turn it was to do the dishes or who forgot to take out the trash. Once, he had even gotten angry because someone at work wouldn’t stop coughing because of a cold. Steve knew Billy well enough to know that if he was angry at something that trivial, he was really angry about something bigger. Not even their usual make-up sex soothed him. They tried once, but after it was over, Billy wouldn’t even hold Steve. 

“Billy, what the hell is going on?” He had asked that question several times.

“Nothing,” was always the answer. Steve knew that was a lie.

* * *

Steve lay on the sofa and kept checking his watch, but tried not to worry. Billy was late; later than usual. There had to have been a reason that didn’t have anything to do with him getting into whatever trouble suited him that day. Traffic in New York was a nightmare, after all, and there had been times when he’d had to work late. Steve tried not to think of the awful things that could have possibly happened. He tried not to think that Billy had been attacked and mugged in an alleyway. He tried not to think that Billy was at some other bar drinking himself half to death. He tried not to think that Billy was with David.

The sound of the door opening snapped him from his thoughts. Immediately, he sat up, picked up a nearby book, and pretended to read. “Hey,” he chirped, trying to sound as casual as possible. “I was wondering when you’d be back. I thought we’d have–mmf!”

Steve’s mouth was stopped by a hungry kiss. Billy’s lips made way for clashing teeth and wrestling tongues. It was almost as if he was trying to devour him. His body was pinning him down onto the sofa and his hands were already making their way underneath his shirt. 

“Billy,” Steve said, once he had finally parted for air. “I’m happy to see you too, but–oh!”

Billy said nothing. He only proceeded to kiss his way down his boyfriend’s neck and reach in between his legs. Steve began to swell against his touch. Already, shirts were flying off. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask where this came from, but anything he had to say was drowned out by a kiss here and a touch there. Soon, he was giving in and was already writing by the time his jeans were all but ripped from his legs and his cock devoured by a warm mouth. He almost screamed at the top of his lungs when he felt himself going deeper and deeper until–“Jesus Christ!”

Steve looked down between his legs and watched Billy. He didn’t recall seeing him taking his pants off, but was nonetheless grateful for the view, for not only was the guy deep-throating him like a fucking porn star, but he was fingering himself open. He found himself chuckling, though his laughter soon drowned in a series of moans and groans when he remembered the first time the blond had bottomed. It had been well over two years since prom night and Billy had since grown to love taking Steve’s cock in his ass. He always took it so well and looked so beautiful when he came. 

“You look good like that, Billy. God, you’re so–ah!”

Billy did not respond. He simply abandoned his lover’s cock for one ball, then the other, and then finally the hole. Steve’s eyes rolled into the back of his head. 

And then he stopped. 

Before Steve could so much as complain, Billy reached for the little bottle of lube that he’d always kept in his jacket. “You never know when you’ll need it,” he always said and was always right. Completely stretched out and ready, Billy climbed onto Steve’s lap, handed him the bottle, and kissed him. 

“Fuck me,” he finally said. “Please, Steve, I want you!”

They did not use a condom, as they had long since abandoned them altogether. Steve wet his cock as well as Billy’s hole and kissed him again before whispering their words: “You have me.”

As Billy slowly sunk onto Steve’s cock, he took hold of both of his partner's hands and entwined their fingers together. It wasn’t long before Billy began to move and moan. As his pace quickened, Steve wondered if he would ever tire of watching Billy ride him. He loved to watch the way his back arched when he was being filled. He loved the way he bit his lip when he’d hit just the right spot. He loved the way his eyes went wide when he began to move. Above all things, Steve loved being this close to Billy. He loved being able to hold him and look him in the eye when they were like this, whether they were fucking, having sex, or making love. 

Steve knew by the tone of Billy’s voice which one of the three they were doing tonight.

“God, I love you! You know that, right?”

“I love you too, Billy. I–oh, God!–I love you so much!”

“Don’t ever leave me. I want–fuck yeah, right there!–I want us to be together forever.”

“I’m never gonna leave you, Billy. I promise. God, don’t stop!”

Billy didn't stop. It seemed as though he never wanted to. As he continued to stroke and fuck himself at a quicker pace, Steve knew that he was close by the way he shut his eyes and could tell how badly he wanted to be fucked by the way he wrapped his strong legs around his waist. Thinking quickly, Steve kissed Billy hard, hopped off of the sofa and pinned him down, fucking him into the floor until they came together.

Nothing felt better than the way Billy clenched around Steve’s cock when he came. He would never forget the first time they’d fucked without a condom after testing clean. Billy was already tight, but his warmth was like nothing else. Steve never tired of the way he felt around him. 

Steve pulled out of Billy and collapsed by his side. Much to his surprise, Billy was wrapping his arms around him and nuzzling against his neck like a cat. He practically purred when Steve ran his fingers through his hair.

“Where did this come from?” Steve had to ask.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean one day you’re on, like, your tenth day of being Mr. Doom-n’-Gloom and the next you’re riding my dick like it’s our anniversary all over again.”

Both boys chuckled when they remembered their anniversary. Billy had tried his damnedest to make a romantic evening out of it by making dinner, only to remember that he couldn’t cook for shit. Steve, in turn, had taken his date to a movie, only to find that it was terrible. Instead, they ended up ordering Chinese, joking amongst themselves, and then fucking. Steve would never forget how gorgeous Billy looked when he came untouched. 

“Yeah,” Billy said softly. “I know I’ve been more of an asshole than usual, lately. I’m sorry about that.”

Steve simply shrugged and kissed the top of his head. “So, what’s up?”

Billy gave no answer. Instead, he lay silent in his lover’s arms and stared into space. His smile was already fading and he was beginning to look like his former self all over again.

“Billy?” Steve urged. “Don’t do this to me. Please don’t lock me out again.”

Still, there was silence, then more silence, and then even more silence. Finally, there was an answer: “I’m clean.”

Steve furrowed his brow. “What?”

Billy sighed and sat up. “I went for an STD test the other day.”

“But we’re _both_ clean. We got tested together, remember?”

“I remember. I just wanted to check.”

“Billy, you’re scaring me. Did something happen?”

Billy hung his head. “Do you remember when David came by last week?”

Oh, no! “Yeah, I do. You guys didn’t…?”

“No, of course not!”

Steve couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief. Billy took his hand in his own and held it tight. He took a long, deep, and slow breath before he finally spoke.

“David came here to tell me that he was dying.”

Steve’s eyes went wide. “He’s…you don’t mean…he…but he was just…what?”

“I kinda had the same reaction. Apparently, not too long after I left California, he was diagnosed with AIDS. He’s not the only one either. A couple of other friends of ours have it and one of them passed away just a month ago.”

“Oh…God, I’m so sorry!”

“I already knew I was clean,” he continued. His voice was so fragile. “But I freaked out. I mean, can you blame me?”

“No, baby, I don’t blame you at all.”

“I just…he was my first, you know? First date, first kiss, first time, first…everything, really. I loved him so much and those people…they were my friends. They were the only friends I had back there.”

Steve held Billy close. He didn’t know how long he had held him, but it was enough to hear his breath hitch into silent sobs. Eventually, Billy pulled back and held his head up high.

“Is there anything I can do?” Steve asked.

Billy simply sobbed and sighed. “Just love me.”

“I love you. You do know that, right?”

“Of course, I do. I just…y’know…I'm kinda going through a rough time and I know I wasn't handling it really well in the past week, but I just...I need you to be there for me. I need you right now."

Steve smiled weakly, took Billy’s hand in his own, and kissed the knuckles. “You have me,” he said. “You’ll always have me. If there’s anything you need, I’ll be there for you. Just be open with me and don’t close up on me again, okay?”

“Okay?”

Their promise was sealed with a kiss.

“So,” Steve finally said. “Is there anything you need as of now?” 

Billy thought a moment. “Well, for starters, I think we can pick up from where we left off that Friday.”

“Sounds good. You pick the movie and I’ll order Chinese?”

Billy shook his head. “Nah, I’m getting sick of Chinese. I’d rather have Italian.”


End file.
